UPDATE ON

FRACKING DISCLOSURE LEGISLATION

House Bill 3328, the bill by Rep. Jim Keffer, that would
establish a system for disclosure of the substances used
in the hydro-fracking process for extraction of natural
gas, has been approved by the Senate Natural Resources
Committee and should be on the Senate floor for a vote
early the week of May 23.

Although the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club believes
that the bill needs to be strengthened in order to be more
protective of the public interest, the Sierra Club believes
that it is imperative that a fracking disclosure bill pass
the Legislature this session. Even in the current form
the bill represents a step forward in putting the Texas
Legislature on record that public disclosure of the chemicals
and substances used in the fracking process is an important
public policy goal. It is very important that HB 3328 not
be weakened on the Senate floor.

Please contact your state senator
to urge them to pass a good fracking disclosure bill – and HB 3328 is
the vehicle – as quickly as possible. It would also
be helpful if you would urge them to strengthen the bill
with one or all of the following changes:
• Full well-by-well disclosure of all chemicals, not
just those regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)
• A more inclusive list of who can actually challenge
any chemicals claimed as trade secrets, including those landowners
living within a mile of any well shaft;
• A process for the agency to determine if any trade
secret claims are meritorious and to not give a blanket protection
to trade secrets claimed by the industry. Please act NOW!

[FYI – A version of the language from HB 3328 was
added Friday – May 20 – on the House floor
to the “sunset bill” for the Texas Water Development
Board – SB 660. That language was added in the form
of an amendment to SB 660 that was offered by Rep. Jim
Keffer, the sponsor of HB 3328. It is doubtful that the
language will remain on the Water Development Board sunset
bill all the way through the process, but it is a measure
of Rep. Keffer’s commitment to fracking fluids disclosure
that he is taking such steps to see that the disclosure
legislation passes.]